1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fishing lures and hooking arrangements, and in particular relates to multiple hook arrangements which are designed to expand under tension.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A number of expandable fish hook assemblies for lures have been devised and disclosed in the prior art.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,644,264, Heki discloses a double fish hook arrangement having a looped biasing spring between the sides and having a "mouse trap" type lock release to permit the sides to expand. The release includes a shaft which spreads between the two hooks when in the open position. In the closed position, the arrangement taught by Heki employs a ring which holds the shaft in place, the shaft having a hook on one end which engages one of the sides.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,759,289, Haape discloses a combined fish-hook and trap arrangement employing an axial shaft which is spring-loaded, the shaft having a curved cam plate attached at the end of the shaft and between the two fish-hook sides, such that axial movement of the shaft causes the cam plate to force the two fish-hook sides in an expansion position.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,410,019, Landi discloses another camming arrangement, in which the forward extremities of the fish hooks are pivoted, and the barbed ends of the fish hooks cross, with a camming ring attached between the fish hooks and coupled to the fishline, such that tension on the lure causes the cam ring to slide through the lure and force the two hooks outwardly with respect to the lure. A somewhat similar arrangement is taught by Wolf in U.S. Pat. No. 2,597,832.
Tomsello, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,081,572, discloses a weedless fish lure employing another form of the "mouse trap" type release.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,812,906, Swearingen discloses an artificial lure having a pair of fish hooks joined together by a looped spring, and being held together by a catchpin. Movement of the looped spring toward the front of the lure responsive to tension of the lure on the line causes the fish hooks to disengage from the catchpin, and spring outward into an expansion position.
Burnett, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,026,645, discloses an expandable fish hook assembly, in which the fish hooks are beveled out of a cylindrical container responsive to axial drag on the fish hooks with respect to the cylindrical storage tube.
Arrangements like that described in the prior art patents referred to above tend to be unduly complex and expensive, and are difficult to reload; that is, are difficult to return to the nonexpanded condition. It is therefore desirable to employ a simple release mechanism for such fish lure assemblies, but which release permits the use of relatively flat and wide sides, such that a true artificial fish lure appearance can be obtained with the device. Typical with such prior art arrangements as those described above, those arrangements which have an artificial lure appearance are relatively complex and are difficult to load into the loaded position. However, the relatively simple arrangements, such as those disclosed in the Haape and Heki patents are not easily adapted to the artificial lure structures.